Auxilliary coupling-hook.



I 1). T. GOODMAN.

AUXILIARY GOUPLING HOOK.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 15, 1909.

Patented June 28, 1910.

TIE; .1.

nwntoz flay/d o'admm/ W M M wiliuzoow UNTTEE @TATEB PATENT BBTQE.

DAVID 'I. GOODMAN, OF ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUXILIARY COUPLING-HOOK.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, DAVID T. GOODMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Altoona, in the county of Blair, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Auxiliary Coupling- Hooks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to wrecking and switching tackle such as is employed in wrecking and swltchlng operatlons on railways and has special reference to an improved form of hook adapted to be connected with the draw head of any coupler of the Master Car-Builders type.

The principal object of the present invention is to improve the forms of hooks for which patents were formerly issued to me, the first bearing the Serial No. 723,524 being patented March 24, 1908, and the second bearing the Serial No. 735,245 being patented August 4, 1903. By experience I have found that the form of hook bill was not in all cases well adapted to the work to be performed and also that the form of hanger covered by the latter patent was in some cases ineflicient.

The object of the present invention is achieved by improvements in the hanger and the attaching arrangement for the pulling rod or chain.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View showing the hook engaged with the draw head of a coupler. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the hook disengaged from the coupler.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a draw head 10 of the well known Master Gar-Builders type and to which is pivoted a knuckle 11. The present hook is designed to be permanently attached to a cable or chain so that the latter may be connected to the knuckle during the operation of wrecking, switching or whenever else desired.

The hook embodying the present invention comprises a stem 12 having an eye 13 projecting laterally from one end, the stem of the hook being gradually increased in thickness from the end to the opposite end of the stem in a direction at right angles to the plane of the hook. At the free end of the stem 12 is a foot 14 which projects lat- Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J 11 19, 28, 1910,

Application filed June 15, 1909.

Seria1 No. 502,276.

erally from the stem in the plane of the eye and on the same side of the stem as said eye. The face of the foot next to the eye, and

which for convenience may be termed the inner face of the hook, is curved so that it conforms to the inside of the knuckle end and this curvature is continued around the stem of the hook on'its inner side so that this stem conforms to the end of the knuckle. The curvature is still further continued along the inner face of the eye so that this face conforms to the outer face of the knuckle end. By this means the hook is caused to closely engage the knuckle when in position thereon so that no matter at what angle stress may be exerted on the hook the same will constantly remain in engagement and cannot possibly become detached.

In order to prevent the hook from sliding down on the knuckle when it is applied thereto there is provided an inverted upstanding U-shaped strap 15 one end of which is connected to the eye and forms a continuation of the surface which engages with the outer end of the knuckle while the opposite end is connected to the foot in like manner forming a continuation of the inner surface of said foot.

The hook is provided with suitable strengthening ribs 16 extending around the outer periphery and 17 extending from the foot around the inner side to the eye. In practice the hook is so positioned on the knuckle that the end of the knuckle lies in a recess formed by the foot and the inner surface of the eye, and the strap 15 extends over the top of the knuckle as can be readily seen by reference to Fig. 1.

The proportions of the parts are such that the inner surface of the eye will engage over the solid portion of the knuckle whether the same be a solid or slotted knuckle, and to this end the eye is extended somewhat farther than the foot and is also provided with a thickened inner face.

It has been found that with this hook the difliculties experienced with the hooks of my former patent by their becoming accidentally detached either from the chain or the knuckle are entirely eliminated and it is also found that the strap 15 lends itself to the function of a hand grip so that the hook may be readily transported. There has thus been provided a simple and efficient device of the kind described and for the purpose specified.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new, is

A wrecking hook comprising a metal plate having a body portion adapted to fit horizontally in a coupler and a curved extension adapted to lie horizontally around the knuckle of a coupler, said extension being provided with an opening spaced from the end of the extension and forming a rope receiving eye, upper and lower peripheral flanges formed around the body portion and tapering vertically at their ends to merge into said extension, and an inverted U-shaped strap having unequal legs, the shorter leg joining the top of the upper flange at that portion which is adapted to lie immediately behind the knuckle and the longer leg joining the upper side of the extension between the opening and the ex tremity of said extension.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signa ture, in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID T. GOODMAN. Witnesses: v

IRA V. GOODMAN, CLARENCE lV. GOODMAN. 

